Several suppliers that provide Pantang hospital with medical supplies like food and chemicals have ceased their services due to the hospital’s GHC 2.8 million debt.
According to Daily Graphic report, these suppliers have stopped delivering their services to the Pantang hospital for a year now and as of 2023, Pantang hospital has still not received any supplies from their clients.
The report added that the hospital owes close to 25 suppliers including Ghana Oil Limited (GOIL), Alliance Waste Limited and Auto Clinic.
These actions taken up by these suppliers have affected the modus operandi of the mental hospital.
The hospital’s Medical Director, Dr. Frank Baning, explained that the Ministry of Health is aware of the ongoing issue and has also done their part by writing to the Ministry of Finance.
“And so, the hospital has done as directed by its parent ministry and we are, therefore, hopeful that Finance Ministry will settle suppliers soon in order for them to resume their work efficiently”, he explained.
Dr. Frank Baning also disclosed some issues that are attributed to their debts.
According to him, there are some laws that have made payment of hospital bills free to treated patients and this somehow hinders the hospital from getting money.
These laws include the Mental Health Act (Act 846) as well as a solicit appeal from the Commission of Human Rights and Administrative Justice (CHRAJ).
He further stated that, with the Mental Health Act (Act 846), the law has made some of their health services free to a number of patients they treat.
The Medical Director for the hospital also addressed his concern about mental health services not being under the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) and calls upon the government to treat this issue as an emergency.
He said, “We are appealing to the government to move mental health services under NHIS to reduce the financial burden on the national purse. Under the NHIS, we can make claims for every patient that seeks services at the facility.”